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Home > Travel South America > South America Destinations > Porto Velho
Porto Velho
South America is thefourth largest continent of the Western Hemisphere. It is divided politically into 12 independent countries namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela and the overseas department of French Guiana. The continent extends to 7,640 kilometers from Punta Gallinas, Colombia, in the north to Cape Horn, Chile, in the south. At its broadest point, near where it is crossed by the equator, the continent extends to 5,300 kilometers from east to west.
South America is connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama. It is washed on the north by the Caribbean Sea, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Topographically the continent is divided into three sections namely the South American cordillera, the interior lowlands, and the continental shield. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion and Portuguese and Spanish are the primary languages of the continent.
Porto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondonia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The city’s population is about 334,661 people. Situated at the border of Rondonia and the state of Amazonas, the town is an important trade center of Cassiterite, the mining of which symbolizes the most important economic activity in the region, and a transportation and communication center as well. It is located on the eastern shore of the Madeira River.
Officially established on October 2nd, 1914, Porto Velho was started by pioneers around 1907, during the construction of the Madeira-Maori Railroad. During the first sixty years, the city's growth was directly connected to the railway's activities. The town prospered during the rubber boom, but then when low-cost Malaysian rubber made rubber from the Amazon collegial, the region's economy ground to a halt. The city now has its own university.
A city known for its historic myths and traditions, scenic beauty, luxurious hotels and cottages, Porto Velho is one of the favorite holiday destinations for most of the vacation lovers.
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